§ Major SEELY (Isle of Wight)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for War if he can state the rate of fire of the 1885 field gun, the 1899 field gun, and the Ehrherdt quick-firing field gun respectively.
§ MR. BRODRICKAs I explained to my hon. friend on Tuesday last, † it is not usual to give the figures, and no good purpose would be served by so doing. Such figures would, so far as I am aware, not be given in respect of any foreign Army.
§ SIR CHARLES DILKE (Gloucestershire, Forest of Dean)asked whether the right hon. Gentleman would be ready to go into the question of the rate of fire, as between quick-firing guns and guns which are not quick firing, on the proper Vote in the Estimates.
§ MR. BRODRICKI should be ready to go into the question generally, especially if we were asking for money in the Votes for a new gun. But I certainly do not think there is any public advantage in our stating in this House precisely what is the rate of fire of the British field and horse artillery guns—a statement which no foreign country would think of making.
§ LIEUT.-COLONEL GEORGE KEMP (Lancashire, Hey wood)Are these figures withheld because they show such a discrepancy?
§ MR. BRODRICKNot at all.